EVERGREENS FOR THE PLAINS. 165 



fibrous roots; and this leads me to speak of the proper way to handle 

 young trees, either from the seed bed, the nursery, or from the moun- 

 tains. 



THE CARE OF YOUNG PLANTS. 



When a small evergreen is dry it should be taken up with the spade 

 to secure all the fine fibrous roots. If the ground is too rocky for 

 this, as it is in nine cases out of ten, let the plants alone and go until 

 you find the right place. As soon as you dig the tree, plant it again. 

 Have a puddle of thick mud ready and dip it into this and seal the 

 roots up air tight. Put in bundles of twenty-five. Then you can heel 

 them in with safety. If, however, you heel in before this, you stand 

 a chance to lose your tree in twenty-four hours or less, for the evap- 

 oration is going on all the time and the air is creeping in at the roots. 

 Then when you pack dip in mud again and pack in moss. It is better 

 to trim oif some of the lower limbs to prevent heating, as, do the best 

 you may, there will be more root than top. T. C. Thurlow, of Mas- 

 sachusetts, clips oif all the side branches and perhaps a part of 

 the top and has good success. Some growers east — Manning, of 

 Heading, and Thurlow — plant their mountain trees in the open air 

 without protection and then save seventy-five per cent. Such a course 

 would be fatal in the west. We are to remember that the climate and 

 conditions are entirely different. There a man deserts a farm and 

 Nature plants it to pine, cedar, and hemlock, and in forty years saw- 

 logs are cut from it. Nothing of this kind happens on our western 

 plains. A heavy screen is absolutely necessary — a screen which will 

 shut out half the light. Of course, under the screen the trees will not 

 dry out as in the open ground. In an experience of several years I 

 have not had to water, only when the trees were planted, until this year. 

 You want a screen near your windmill, where you can irrigate when 

 necessary. I have now a half acre under cover, and have some 

 200,000 plants ; perhaps these must be watered often. 



Never try to raise seedlings without watering from the time the 

 seeds begin to sprout. They must not be permitted to become dry 

 till they come up. 



CEDARS. 



For cedars, we have the red cedar of the Platte, a native of great 

 vigor and hardiness, toughened and bronzed by hot wind and bliz- 

 zard. This does well, and under good cultivation makes a good 



